Figure 1.--This is a Palistinian refuge camp in Jordan during 1968. The Baqa'a refugee camp (البقعة‎) was created in 1968. It is 20 km north of the Jordanian capital Amman, and is home to over 80,000 Palestinians who are registered as such with the United Nations. Before the Syrian refugee crisis led to the creation of Zaatari, it was the largest refugee camp in Jordan. Baqa'a was one of six camps set up in Jordan in 1968 to house the Palestinians who left the West Bank and Gaza Strip after the 1967 Six Day War. A question rarely adressed by the Arabs is why they did not assisilate the refugees, but kept them in camps like this. Camps like Baqa'a have more refugees today than during the emergency. This in in sharp contrast to the Israeli approach of quickly assimilating refugees. The caption of this wire service photoigraph read, "At Baqa'a, east Jordan. the largest of the East Bank emergency camps, extreenes of heat and cold cause great suffering among the 40,000 refugees living there. The dust storms of summer are carcely over when torrential rains come to turn the parched earth into a sea of mud. When this photograph was taken in 1968, the refugees in Baqa'a were still living in tents. But the pre-fabricated shelter programme was soon to begin. Since that time the kndscpe of the camp has changed considerably as the tents gradually gave way to to the stronger, temporary shelters which ofer mpre protection from the elements."

The Arabs took a very different approach to the refugee problem than that taken by Israel. While the Isrealis attempted to integrate Jewish refugees into Isreali society as quickly as possible, the Arabs created camps to hold the refugees. The camps were designed not only to hold the refugees but to restrict their integration into the various Arabs countries, The specifific regulations varied from country to country, but the basic pattern was the same. Arab countries (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt (Gaza) restricted movement in and out of the camps. Some refugees were banned from leaving the camps. Restrictions were placed on the jobs they could obtain. They were denied a range of legal rights. One Arab author describes the conditions, "Some of them have to jump over walls and sneak out to complete their chores or to breathe and experience the outside world. One can imagine these randomly and poorly built houses during the winter chill and sweltering heat of the summer among the sewage and insufficient services." [Al-Rashed] The United Nations through UNRWA provided relief aid. It is not entirely clear why the Arabs took this approach. Surely one factor was that the refugee problem was a temporary one and that Israel would soon be destroyed and the refugees could return to their homes. Arab officials may have seen the keeping the refugees permanent refugees as a way to perperuate the conflict with Idsrael. Some officials may not have wanted Palestinians competing with locals for jobs and services. What ever the reasons, the Arabs countries created the camps and some still exist nearly 60 years later. Most of the residents in the czmps today were born in those camps. Lebanon's Nahr al Bared camp where fighting broke out with the Lebanese Army (2007) is just one such camp. There are still tens of thousands of people crammed into " undignified houses, where many of them were born and have lived for five decades." [Al-Rashed] Details on these camps are available on the UNRWA website. The refugee camp issue is not one commonly discussed in the Arab world. One Arab writer complains, "It is a shame. How can we talk about the liberation of Palestine, which we simply associate with stolen land, a desecrated mosque and a powerful enemy, while we do not allow Palestinians to settle down, earn a living or travel like all other human beings?"

Arab Approach

The Arabs took a very different approach to the refugee problem that thatvtaken by Israel. While the Isrealis attempted to integrate Jewish refugees into Isreali society as quickly as possible, the Arabs created camps to hold the refugees. The camps were designed not only to hold the refugees but to restrict their integration into the various Arabs countries, The specifific regulations varied from country to country, but the basic pattern was the same. Arab countries (Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt (Gaza) restricted movement in and out of the camps. Some refugees were banned from leaving the camps. Restrictions were placed on the jobs they could obtain. They were denied a range of legal rights. One Arab author describes the conditions, "Some of them have to jump over walls and sneak out to complete their chores or to breathe and experience the outside world. One can imagine these randomly and poorly built houses during the winter chill and sweltering heat of the summer among the sewage and insufficient services." The Arab refugee approach was diametrically different than the Israeli approach of rapid assimilation for the Jewish refugees. [Al-Rashed]

Country Situation

The Front Line Arab countries surrouding Palistine refused to accept the U.N. Partition of Palistine and after Israel declared independence invaded. The largest best armed force was the Egyptian Army. Serious Jewish oposition was not expected. In the In the 12 centuries of Muslim rule, after Mohammed destroyed Jewish tribes in Arabia, never offered military resistance before. The Arab armies failed to supress Israel and in the ensuing fighting, Israel wound up with more land than had been alloted to them under the U.N. Partition plan. And the Arab countries wound up with a serious refugee problem. The Arab countries forced the Palestinians into special camps or settlements. The situation and policies varied somewhat in the different Arab bcountries whichset up Palestinian refugee camps. Regulations varied from country to country, but in gneral the Palistinians were not allowed to integrate with the local Arab populaion. Egypt and Jordan rather than gelping the Palistiniand establish their own state, seized and annexed or otherwise control the areas of Palistine they controlled. Jordan annexed East Jerusalem and the West Bank. Egypt annexed Gaza. Despite Israeli success in the First Arab-Isreali War, the Arab states were convinced that the destruction of Israel could be achieved if they built of their forces and struck again in greater force. Arab authorities used the refuge camps to both control the Palistinians and as a reminder to the world that most of these Arab countries think that Israel should never have been created and forced upon them. The United Nations which at that time was seen by most Arab leaders as a lackey for the the West (primarily America).

UNRWA

The U.N. General Assembly established the United Nations Relief For Palestinian Refugees (UNRPR) (November 19, 1948). Its initial purpose was to provide emergency aid to the refugees. It was assumed at the time that the refugee problem would be a temporary one. UNRPR was replaced by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) (December 8, 1949). The initial budget was $50 million. There was no internatinal effort to assist Jewish refugees which Israel attempted to integrate into society rather than concentrate in camps. Nor was there any international effort to assist the Jewish refugees expelled by Aran countries. UNRWA has provided relief aid to the Palestinian refugeees. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is a relief and human development agency which has provided education, healthcare, social services and emergency aid to over 4.4 million refugees living in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. UNRWA is the most important U.N. operation in the Middle East, with over 28,000 staff, almost all of them refugees themselves, working directly to benefit their communities in the cpcity of teachers, doctors, nurses, and social workers. UNRWA was designed to substitute the initial UNRPR relief program with public works for direct relief and longer-trm economic development. U.N. planners expected Arab governments to participate in this effort. This has proven a complete failure, witnessed by the fact that there the refuge camps still exist and that there are many more Plestinian refugees now than in 1948-49. UNWRA has done valuable relief work in assisting the refugees. It has failed, however, to solve the problem because Arab governments had no interest in solving the problem other than destroying Israel militarily. The Arabs did not want an economic solution, but a military sollution. The major contributor to UNRWA has been the United States. UNRWA for its first 20 years got more than two-thirds of its funds from the United States. Unbelieveably, during this period Israel contributed more funding than the Arab states. Since 2000 the funding has shifted some what, but most of the funding still comes from the United States (31 percent), the European Union (14 percent) and the United Kingdom (9 percent). The European commitment is larger than indicated here because indivcual European countries make further donations. (Denmark which was so condemned in the Arab world because of the cartoon controversy contributed over 1.5 percent of UNWRA's emergebcy appeals, more than almost all Arab governments.) There are now two important Arab donners--including the UAE Red Cresent (5 percent) and Saudi Arabia (3 percent). [UNWRA Pledges, April 18, 2007]

Arab League

The Arab League has made no major effort to solve the refugee problem. An Arab author writes, "Blame lies with the Arab League and Arab governments that took part in or kept silent about this moral scandal. Rather than seeking to help them or provide for their demands, they preoccupy Arab public opinion with conferences and hollow rhetoric on the issue and on refugees." [Al-Rashed]

Motivation

It is not entirely clear why the Arabs took this approach. Surely one factor was that the refugee problem was a temporary one and that Israel would soon be destroyed and the refugees could return to their homes. Arab officials may have seen the keeping the refugees permanent refugees as a way to perperuate the conflict with Israel. Some officials may not have wanted Palestinians competing with locals for jobs and services. The major reason, however, appears to be that of keeping the Palestinian issue alive. An Arab author writes, "Our insistence to lock the Palestinians in camps and treat them like animals in the name of preserving the issue is far worse a crime than Israel stealing land and causing the displacement of people. The 60 year-old camps only signify our inhumanity and double standards. Israel can claim that it treats the Palestinians better than their Arab brothers do. It gives citizenship to the Palestinians of 1948 as well as the right to work and the right to lead a somewhat normal life, although they are treated as second-class citizens. [Comment - how are Jews treated in Saudi Arabia? How are Arabs treated in Saudi Arabia? Who has more rights, a an Arab in Saudi Arabia who is not a member of the royal family, or an Arab street sweeper in Israel? Who can vote? Who can go to law if his rights are violated?" [Al-Rashed]

Current Situation

What ever the reasons, the Arabs countries created the camps and some still exist nearly 60 years later. Most of the residents in the czmps today were born in those camps. Lebanon's Nahr al Bared camp where fighting broke out with the Lebanese Army (2007) is just one such camp. There are still tens of thousands of people crammed into " undignified houses, where many of them were born and have lived for five decades." [Al-Rashed] Details on these camps are available on the UNRWA website.

Little Discussed Topic

The refugee camp issue is not one commonly discussed in the Arab world. One Arab writer complains, "It is a shame. How can we talk about the liberation of Palestine, which we simply associate with stolen land, a desecrated mosque and a powerful enemy, while we do not allow Palestinians to settle down, earn a living or travel like all other human beings?" [Al-Rashed]

Sources

Al-Rashed, Abdul Rahman. "40 Years: The Real Stigma," As Sharq al Awsat (June 9, 2007). As Sharq al Awsat is a Saudi-supported newspaper published in London. Rahman is the general manager of Al-Arabiya television. He is the former editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat. He has worked with Al Majalla, the leading Arabic weekly magazine. He is also a senior Columnist in the daily newspapers of Al Madina and Al Bilad. He frequently appears on TV current affairs programs. At the time he wrote this article he was based in Dubai.

Baster, James. "Economic Problems in the Gaza Strip," Middle East Journal Vol. 9, No. 3 (Summer, 1955), pp. 323-27.

Takkenberg. Lex. Deputy Director-General of the U.N. refugee agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in Syria. Interviewed by Victor Kattan, "The myths and reality of Palestinian refugees in Syria: An interview with Lex Takkenberg," The Electronic Intifada ( October 5, 2004).

UNRWA Pledges, "UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND WORKS AGENCY--FOR PALESTINE REFUGEES IN THE NEAR EAST PLEDGES TO UNRWA'S EMERGENCY APPEALS (4 OCTOBER 2000 UP TO 31 MARCH 2007), Cash and In Kind. April 18, 2007. The percentages here are based on the UNRWA data. We have archived the referenced spread sheet, but UNWRA periodically updates it on the UNWRA website. Notably you have to go deep into the website to find the extent of the American committment and the lack of support from the Arab states. And the minimal support of the Arab states before 2000 is not mentioned at all.

Created: 6:52 PM 6/17/2007
Last updated: 1:02 AM 12/12/2015